Patterns of staining for neurone specific enolase in benign and malignant melanocytic lesions of the skin.

Neurone specific enolase (NSE) is a useful marker for melanoma independent of the criterion of melanogenesis. A range of benign and malignant melanocytic skin lesions has been studied to assess the diagnostic potential of staining for NSE. The detailed features of the presence and distribution of NSE in 47 skin lesions are presented. These include 3 junctional, 7 compound, 15 intradermal and 8 SPitz naevi; 6 superficial type, 2 lentigo maligna and 6 nodular melanomata. A progressive increase of staining for NSE from benign to malignant is seen. Spitz naevi could easily be differentiated from melanoma. An advantage of this stain is the simultaneous demonstration of the innervation of these lesions. We conclude that NSE is a useful aid to the diagnosis and assessment of melanocytic skin tumours and may prove of value in clarifying the nature of these enigmatic lesions.